The Best Cat Water Fountains

We’ve looked at the best cat water fountains available in the UK just now. Ensure your kitty has clean & fresh water all day long!

Tips for choosing the best cat water fountain

Are water fountains good for cats?

Yes, absolutely! Like humans, cats need to keep hydrated throughout the day, so a water fountain can ensure they have a good source of fresh water all day long. This helps with digestion and help flush out toxins that may build up in their urinary tracks.

How often should the water be changed in water fountains?

It depends on the capacity of the model, but roughly speaking a 2 litre capacity fountain will be good for a few weeks or up to a month. Of course, this is based on a single cat using them so if you have more pets using it you might want to consider one of the larger variants of these models (most have fountains that are useful for multiple pets or larger dogs for example).

As the internal pump circulates and filters the water, it keeps it clean at all times.

What do the filters in the water fountains do?

There are different types of filters, but the most common is a cotton carbon filter. As the fountain circulates water using an internal pump, it passes through the filters which helps remove magnesium and calcium from tap water (which can accumulate in your cat’s urinary track and cause infections) and other particulates such as hairs and dust that may fall into the water.

You will need to replace the filters regularly – usually every couple of weeks or month.

Are the pumps in water fountains noisy?

No, they’re all pretty quiet. You’d be surprised at the level of technology that pet water fountains use – the pumps can run efficiently and quietly while consuming very little energy.

The Best Cat Water Fountains Compared

A small selection of great cat water fountains

Cat Mate Water Fountain Dadypet Water Fountain November Spring Water Fountain Aerb Water Fountain Catit Water Fountain

Cat Mate Water Fountain

Cat Mate Water Fountain

Price: ££ (check)

2 litre capacity

21 x 16 x 24 cm

Quiet operation

Filter change = monthly

1. Cat Mate Water Fountain

**Recommended**

The Cat Mate drinking fountain from Pet Mate is a great little water fountain for cats. Pet Mate have a great reputation for creating high quality pet products, which is why this is our recommended drinking fountain. The multi-tiered fountain means pets of all sizes can use it comfortably and the pump circulates the water down a small ramp to prevent splashing (and you can adjust the flow of the water to suit your cat).

As with other water fountains, the unit is self-contained so there’s no plumbing required. Simply top up the water to the recommended level as needed and the internal water pump will circulate it, keeping it clean and fresh for your cat. Plus, some cats can be fussy and prefer not to drink from metal bowls – this plastic design is food safe, hygienic and fits well in any kitchen.

Maintaining the unit is easy too. The drinking sections are dishwasher safe and filters are easily inserted (and should be replaced every few weeks as necessary). You should also disassemble the pump unit and clean it regularly too, but don’t worry it comes with full instructions on how to do so.

  1. Multi-tiered unit making it great for multiple cats (or 1 fussy cat). The 2 litre capacity is good for up to 3 cats or a small dog.
  2. 1 polymer / activated carbon filter included.
  3. A low power consumption of just 2 watts.

Our verdict…

Pet Mate products are always a safe bet as they’re high quality and reasonably priced. This is a simple unit that’s easy to use, suitable for multiple pets and comes in at a great price.

Dadypet Cat Water Fountain

Dadypet Cat Water Fountain

Price: ££ (check)

2 litre capacity

18 x 18 x 13 cm

Ultra quiet pump

Filter change = 1 to 2 weeks

2. Dadypet Cat Water Fountain

The Dadypet water fountain is a more traditional style of fountain – it has a central spout that creates multiple streams of water, making it great for people who have more than one cat (so they don’t have to fight for space to get into it!). These types of fountains are great for cats who have a preference to drink from running water (e.g. from taps or streams), so if you’re having trouble encouraging your cat to drink from the right source, this could be a good choice.

When you first turn the fountain on, it will seem louder than you’d expect but this is temporary (simply water beginning to pass through the filter). Soon it will quieten down to a barely noticeable level, which is great for you and your cats!

This model has a much more neutral design than some of the others, which would make it a better choice for people who would prefer it to blend in with their kitchen a bit better. It’s made from a white BPA free plastic which is durable and easily cleaned.

  1. Overflow prevention.
  2. Quiet running at under 35 dB.
  3. The recirculation system keeps the water oxygenated. 

Our verdict…

The Dadypet water fountain is a reasonably priced and good quality product for cat owners who are looking for a more visually neutral product for their home.

November Spring Cat Water Fountain

November Spring Cat Water Fountain

Price: ££ (check)

1.6 litre capacity

20 x 17 x 11 cm

Silent pump

Filter change = 2 weeks

3. November Spring Cat Water Fountain

This cute little water fountain from November Spring is another traditional water fountain design, with a central spout that the water is forced up through. There are 3 water flow settings in this model – a the traditional waterfall setting, a fountain setting where the water simply bubbles up from the surface of the unit and a combination of both. These settings are intended to accommodate different types of cats (the waterfall setting makes it easier for long-haired cats to drink without soaking their hair).

It’s a much more colourful model, coming in a green and yellow floral motif which is complemented with the free silicone mat you get with it. While the unit will never overflow, cats can be messy drinkers and drip water as they wander off, so the mat is a great way of preventing your floor getting wet.

It’s a slightly small unit than the others, with 1.6 litre capacity, but this is plenty for one or even two cats and the clear water-level gauge on the front lets you know when it needs to be filled up again.

As with other models, the pump is quiet when running and doesn’t consume much power.

  1. 3 water flow settings.
  2. A low power consumption of just 2 watts.
  3. Free silicone mat.

Our verdict…

The November Spring water fountain is a lovely little model which looks good, is reasonably priced and the free splash mat is a nice little bonus.

Aerb Cat Water Fountain

Aerb Cat Water Fountain

Price: ££ (check)

2.4 litre capacity

19.5 x 19.5 x 15 cm

Ultra quiet pump

Filter change = 1 to 2 weeks

4. Aerb Cat Water Fountain

The Aerb cat water fountain is a slick, modern design that looks at home in any kitchen. It comes with a whopping 2.4 litre capacity which means it’s much more suitable for multiple cats. Similar to the November Spring model, it has 3 water flow settings ranging from a fountain to bubbling water so you can test which your cats prefer.

One thing to note is the stainless steel bowl (other models are made entirely from plastic). While this is as easy to clean and hygienic as plastic models, some cats can be a bit fussy about drinking from metal bowls. But you undoubtedly know the preferences of your own cats, so for many cat owners this won’t be a problem.

The unit has a subtle blue LED night light which is a nice little feature as it means you won’t trip over it in the dark if you need to place it in an inconvenient place for your fussy cat!

  1. Stainless steal bowl.
  2. LED night light.
  3. Larger capacity.

Our verdict…

The Aerb cat water fountain has a lovely modern design, so it won’t look out of place in more modern kitchens, and the larger capacity means it’s great for more than one cat.

Catit Cat Water Fountain

Catit Cat Water Fountain

Price: ££ (check)

2 litre capacity

16.3 x 21.6 x 21.6 cm

Quiet pump

Filter change = 1 to 2 weeks

5. Catit Cat Water Fountain

The Catit cat water fountain is another modern design, this time with a simple “bubbling water” feature that allows one or more cats to drink from the larger surface area at the same time. The bubbling effect is a great way to encourage your cats to drink from it, and while it does have a noticeable noise, it will generally be drowned out by normal ambient noise in your home.

Again, this is a stainless steel bowl, so if your cat is fussy about drinking from a metal bowl then it’s worth considering another model.

The unit can be taken apart to clean and is dishwasher safe. It has a sleek and compact design, but still has a 2 litre reservoir so won’t need to be refilled too regularly.

  1. Stainless steal bowl.
  2. Large water-to-air surface maximises oxygenation.
  3. Easy to disassemble and clean.

Our verdict…

The Catit water fountain is just a nice little compact model that your cats will love and will fit into any home nicely.

Do you have a question about cat water fountains?

Ask our community and see what they have to say.

Comments 2

  1. I have a cat fountain which my cat absolutely loves, it has a very small black square filter which I can remove to wash and it appears as good as new, however after rinsing twice it falls apart. Are there any filters which can be cut to size or are there any small filters? I can’t seem to find any. Thanks 😊

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.